I've been trying to make lentils and I hate them. I don't really know what they holes should look like so I thought I'd ask. Anyone got any pics of good lentil holes? I'm using a Zoozii trio. :)
Kaz is a lentil expert, so I would recommend having a gawp at some of her gorgeous beads!
Which sort of press are you using? I find the straight sided lentil presses easier to get good holes with.
I only use straight sided presses as I never got the hang of the holes in the other ones!!!
If you're talking traditional lentil press shape, rather than the straight sided, then I'd say they "should" have dimpled ends - imagine using a 4mm Swarovski bicone next to them, and half of the bicone would fit into the hole.
Its also important to get them the same on both sides, as long as your mandrel is perfectly centred you shouldn't end up with a tortoise-shell effect, where one side of the lentil kind of hangs over the other side.
I agree with Julie, dimples for sure, how dimpled is personal preference, but a balanced lentil is essential, and bloody hard sometimes ;D ;D
I've got straight-sided as well and they're coming on ok. Have been looking at Lorna's beads and they have a slight indent.
Must say, Julie, I really don't like the holes when you can fit a Swarki into them. Personal taste, I guess :-\
Don't like the indent myself - prefer a straighter edge :)
I'm thinking of getting a straight sided lentil for this very reason. Anyone have any recommendations.
I prefer a straighter edge too, but the indent-style presses kind of force indents, if you see what I mean!
I've got the Zoozii SSL trio, and I'm quite liking that one, I must say. I've also got a couple of Cattwalk lentils that seem to indent quite strongly, and an unidentified 37mm lentil that I bought from Billie. I actually using the big press as a shaper and not actually filling it completely. I di wonder about getting another SSL in a larger size than the ones in the trio.
Not sure how they "should" look, but I like them to look like a perfect circle from the side, if possible. This usually involves adding dots of glass after the first press then re-pressing. Just personal taste I guess. Haven't done many, but used one of Maria Louisa's lentil trio presses, really liked it, sadly it was borrowed (anyone got one they don't want????).
With my slim lentil press I need to give a slight v shaped dimple, if the press is filled more and it looks like a more perfect circle, then the hole can be a bit fragile when it comes to making it up into jewellery, especially transparent glass. With the ss lentil press this isn't a problem, there's a greater depth of glass around the holes.
Quote from: Shirley on May 29, 2009, 11:07:33 PM
I've got the Zoozii SSL trio, and I'm quite liking that one, I must say. I've also got a couple of Cattwalk lentils that seem to indent quite strongly, and an unidentified 37mm lentil that I bought from Billie. I actually using the big press as a shaper and not actually filling it completely. I di wonder about getting another SSL in a larger size than the ones in the trio.
Was it not a Zoozii's? ??? I think most of my presses have come from there, or Maria Louisa. I can't remember now. Sieve like brain ::)
As an 'end user', here's my 2p worth: I love lentils of all sizes but am not so keen on the straight-sided ones. I like the holes to be central and even, and prefer it when you can fit a swarovski halfway into the dimples at the ends, as it stops the lentil from wobbling around on the wire it's strung on (I know beadcaps would do much the same job but I'm not a big user of beadcaps). I'm off to have a peruse of my lentil collection now to see which are the ones with the bestest holes from my point of view... any excuse to fondle some lampies... will sort out some piccies tomorrow if that would be interesting!
That would be interesting to see Lynn. I must admit I have no problem making up lentils into jewellery myself when they have the dimples. Its just when I list beads for sale that I worry what other people like/think the holes should be like. Just paranoid about people thinking my beads are no good I guess.
I cheat especailly when using Ivory glass,
If I'm using ivory I just make two small spacing beads from a stiff glass, (usually clear) just short of the width I actually want, then cover just the outside edge that shows with a tiny bit of stinger of the colour i'm making the bead from to hide the clear, then go ahead and make my lentil, mine is a straight sided lentil. I have found it does help the holes stay just a little dimpled. I'm hopefully doing some more next few days so I'll post if anyones interested.
Another thing I do is when building up the glass I usually put more glass around the holes instead of the middle until the hole ends are nearly full then add glass to the centre until the press is full just right Then the glass just sort of pushes out against the holes just a little but stays dimply. I have to press it a few more times in the process and a bit fiddly, but when I get this just right I get a really good lentil with good holes. If i'm making florals (which I'm doing next) and want them melted down I can also see how much glass space I have left in the centre of the bead so I don't go to big and over fill the press once done.
Hope it's of help. I'm not a pro by any means, but when I get the above right it does work really well. I don't think it would work with the crush sort though.
Dawn
Ack! I have a large lentil press and seem to waste more beads from this than I keep. I'm really mega fussy about my holes (ooo er missus) and can't let lentils go if they're not right. I think I'm going to buy a straight sided one as I can't bear to loose more beadies this way.
My problem is that I pile on the glass and get good puckers before I press, then when I press, the surplus oozes out and makes a thin wrap around the mandrel that is just outside the press. Tjis is of course too thin and looks like a tube and will break and just looks so ack!
If I try and put less on I get the horrible weapon shape, you know, the swirly axe head on a stick that Buffy the Vampire Slayer used to use? Sorry Geek admission here.
So I think I'm about to give up on this and get a straight sided one.
I do have a lentil trio I bought second hand, I think it may be from Maria Louisa, and I can use that one OK.
I like the lentils, both straight (thought they were tabs :-\) and the more traditional rounded shape. I always start with two small spacer beads and fill in the middle, making it more bicone shape before pressing. I also, prefer to do the rounded lentil on a smaller mandrel, that gives a nicer, neater end, really hate it when I mess up and get that 'too much glass' look.
I do have a problem with the straight sided one though, I have a big one 25mm (I think) and they keep cracking, no matter how much I heat through and keep warm, its driving me nuts! The crack isn't always down the middle either, at least then I can kick myself for not doing it properly!